Vehicle drive



April 1941- T. A. PETERMAN 2,236,696

VEHICLE DRIVE Filed Oct. 4, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. Theodore A. Pe/erman /%ATTOFNEY 4 Shets -Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. v

Theodore A Pe/ermafl T. A. PETERMAN VEHICLE DRIVE Filed Oct. 4, 1958 1 April 1, 1941.

Q BMQ ATTORNEY.

VEHICLE DRIVE Filed Oct. 4, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Theodore/l. Pe/ermon ATTO NEY April 1, 1941.4 PETERMAN 2,236,696

' VEHICLE DRIVE Filed Oct. 4, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. Theodore A. Wafer/77am BY V7 Arromzv i Q Patented Apr. 1, 1941 Application October 4, 1938, Serial No. 233,198

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to driving mechanism for multiple wheel vehicles, and more particularly to driving mechanism for vehicles in which a plurality of driving wheels are suspended for independent movement with respect to the frame.

In vehicles having from four to eight or more wheels suspended upon equalizing beams pivotally mounted upon the frame of the vehicle,

the transmission of driving power to a plurality of such wheels has, heretofore, been effected by mechanism extending through the pivotal mounting of the equalizer beams upon the frame. This has necessitated the use of specially designed equalizer beams and mountings therefor having drive transmitting mechanism incorporated therein, and has usually required specially designed equalizer beam construction designed to provide mountings for outboard differential mechanisms adapted to effect fore and aft or Additional objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of specific embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 isa plan view of the rear portion of a truck embodying the present invention, the truck bed being removed to show the driving arrangement, and a portion of the frame being broken away adjacent the right side to better illustrate the wheel suspension.

tioned to better expose certain of the mechanism to view.

Figure 3 is a sectional view in detail of one of the suspensions illustrated in Figure 1, taken transverse differentiation of the drive to the several wheels.

For these reasons it has never been to add driving mechanism to wheel suspensions of this type primarily designed merely as wheel suspensions and adapted tor use on trailers and similar wheeled vehicles in which it is not desired to apply driving power to the wheels.

feasible The present invention has as an object the provision of a driving mechanism for such multiple wheel vehicles, which is adapted for application to wheel suspensions primarily designed without reference to whether or not driving power is to be transmitted to the wheels thereof. This permits the standardization of 'wheel suspension parts, which may, according to the present invention, be used either upon trailer structures or truck structures, driving mechanism being merely added thereto when it is desired to transmit drive to the wheels, and no modification of the wheel suspension structure itself, except the addition of sprockets or similar drive receiving elements to the wheels which it is desired to drive, being necessary.

A further object of the invention is the provision of mechanism for efiecting transverse differentiation between the driving wheels of a vehicle of the class described.

' ing such as to permit independent vertical movetages of multiple wheel drive with the advantages of independent wheel suspension, and the provision of an improved simple and dependable transmission for driving such vehicles.

on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, certain elements being broken away to expose underlying details to view.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the suspension illustrated in Figure 1, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, with certain portions broken away to better illustrate underlying mechanism.

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view of one of the outboard difierential mechanisms employed for transmitting the drive.

Figure 6 is a side eievational view, partly in section, of a modified construction contemplated by the present invention.

Figure 7 is a plan view, partly in section, of the modification illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail view'in plan and partly sectioned, of a suspension link and hub member assembly. c

Figure 9 is a detail view in side elevation of said suspension link.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, therear portion of the vehicle, the front of which may be of any conventional construction, comprises in ,general a rigid main frame I0 having depending pivotal supports I3 for a pair of longitudinally extending equalizer beams IT, on each end of whicha pairof road wheels I8 is suspended by a parallel linkage suspension, the arrangement bement 'of each of the wheels with respect to all of its associated wheels. This much of thearrangement is adapted for use in a trailer struc-'- ture in which driving power is not applied to the roadwheels as well as in a truck structure as described in connection with the description of the present invention.

In order to-adapt this construction for power drive without modification of the wheel suspension itself in any way, drive sprockets I! and 32 are provided upon the hub structure of each of the wheels l8, and a main differential mechanism '54 of conventional construction is disposed forwardly of the wheel mounting and centrally of the truck frame, and connected by means of transverse drive shafts, to driving sprockets 33 mounted on the frameand connected with the driving sprockets 32 of the forward wheels.

Inorder to insure that the driving chains con-' necting the sprockets II, with the forward wheek will not be slackened or taughtened bythe independent vertical movement of' the forward wheels, the said sprockets so mounted on the frame as to be movable thereon-without. interaasaooo tiomed road wheels ll, will be lowered half the distance the wheel was lowered. 'Ihe bolster frame-ll being pivoted tothe equalizer-beam II half way between the fore and'aft pairs of road wheels It, will be lowered only one-quarter of i the distance that the wheel was lowered.

'The structure thus far described is susceptible of use as an equalizing wheel suspension for ruptins their drive and a connection is between the'forward end of the equaliser beam and each of the sprocket mountings so that the movement of each equaliser beam will effect a compensating movement of its associated sprocket mounting sufficient to maintain the driving chain connecting it with the forward wheels at a substantially uniform tension. For geometrical accuracy the pivotal connection between the equalizer beam and the sprocket mounting trailer vehicles in which it is not desired to apply powerto the road wheels to drive the vehicle.

to the present invention-however,

should preferably take the form illustrated in Figures 6 and, 7 in which the pivotal connection is made to a point coaxial with the axis of the driving sprocket; but for' practical purposes it has been found satisfactory to make the pivotal closely adjacent thereto, as illustrated in Figure 2. v

Referringin detail to Figures 1 and 2, the main frame IQ, of struclairal steel members bolted or welded together, is supported adjacent its rear end by a bolster frame ll extending transconnection to the sprocket mounting at a point versely of the main frame and secured thereto by means such as rivets I 2. Integral with the bolster frame II are depending extensions I! provided adjacent their lower ends with quilt clamps IS in which a cross shaft I6 is secured. Equalizer beams I! are pivotally mounted on the cross shaft, one being disposed at each side of the frame In between the extensions adjacent bolster frame ll.

A pair of road wheels I8 is molmted adjacent of the each end of the equalizer beam II by means con- 1 stituting a parallel linkage suspension. For this purpose pivotal mountings in the form of bearlugs are disposed adjacent each end of the equalizer beam l1 and suspension links 2! are pivotally mounted in said bearings 26, one of said links lying above the equalizer beam I! and the other below it, at each end. The adjacent ends of the suspension links M are pivotally connected as at 22 (Figure 3) to lugs 23 oi hub members 25 upon which hub drums 26 integral with road wheels I t are rotatably mounted.

This arrangement is such as to permit independent vertical movement of each of the road wheels l8 with respect to each of the other road wheels, so that upon encountering an irregularity in the roadway, any of the wheels may rise or fall vertically with respect to any or all of the others without either displacing any of the other wheels vertically or tipping it out of its normal 2m for driving the vehicle may be transmitted am wheels so mounted upon equalizing suspension devices or the character described, without neossitating any modification of the structure ordinarily used by the manufacturer for constructing' trailer vehicles. This is advantageous notonly in converting trailer vehicles to render them-capable of power drive, but permits standardization of parts by the manufacturer so that thesamepartsmaybeusedbothinpowerdriven and trailer vehicles.

The lonsitudinaily aligned wheels of the pairs of wheels mounted upon each of the equaliar beams I! are connected together so that driving power transmitted to one of the wheels will also be transmitted to the wheel longitudinally aligned therewith. For this purpose the hub drums It of the wheels are provided with sprockets 3|, preferably formed integrally with the hub dmm,asshowninl 'igure3.andachainllextends over the longitudinally aligned sprockets ll connecting the aligned wheels ll together.

Means are also providedfor transmitting power from driving elements mounted on the frame of the vehicle to the forward road wheels, and

' for maintaining said driving connection during movement of the road wheels and the equaliser beam incidental to passage over rough terrain.

For this purpose the hub drums 28 of the for-- ward pair of road wheels 18, are provided with additional sprockets 32- (Figure 3) secured thereto as by welding, and connected to driving sprockets mounted on the vehicle frame by means frame Ill of the vehicle.

vertical rolling plane, and the term "parallel linkage suspension as used herein comprises the class of wheel suspensions operating in thismanher, and is not intended to be construed as limited to the specific structure described above.

Suppose, for example, that one of the road wheels I8 encounters a depression such that it is such as driving chains 34 (Figure 1).

In order to maintain the chain 34 at the proper tension during vertical movement of the forward wheels 18, the driving sprockets II are so mounted on the vehicle frame as to permit them to move longitudinally thereof. For this each of the sprockets 33 (Figure 2) is mounted upon a shaft 35 rotatably mounted in a housing 36 which in turn, is pivotally mounted for rocking movement about an axis 31 on Means for eflecting fore and aft movement of the sprockets 33 in response to rocking movement of the associated equalizer beam II are provided preferably in the form of a thrust bar 40, one end of which is pivotally connected to the equalizer beam, within a recess ll (Figure 3) formed in one end thereof, by means such as pivot pin 42, and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the housing 38 by means such as pivot pins 43 (Figure 1) connecting one end of the bar 40 with ears formed integrally with the housing 36.

aligned road wheel is and the end of the equalthe main This arrangement is such that any rising orfalling movement of the ends of equalizer beam I1 adjacent the driving mechanism, will eflect compensating fore and aft movement of the drive sprockets 33 so as to maintain the driving chain 3d at the proper tension.

An arrangement which is geometrically more accurate is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 in which the bar 60 is connected to the equalizer beam It in the same manner as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, but is pivotally connected to the housing 35 at points coaxial with the drive sprockets 33.. For this purpose the bar so is bifurcated adjacent its forward end, the two arms 413a and dlib thereof each being pivotally connected tothe housing 36, being formed with bearing ends 55 embracing the ends of shaft 35 and 35a; upon which the sprockets 33 are mounted.

In the case of vehicles provided with a simpler wheel suspension in which no transverse difierentiation between transversely aligned wheels mounted upon one side of i the vehicle is required, driving sprockets 33 (Figures 6 and 7) may be driven by means of a simple geared connection between the shaft 35 upon which sprockets 35 and gear 3d are mounted and a gear 39 mounted upon a shaft on the axis 37 meshing with gear 38, and powered from the standard type of difie'rential' mechanism 5d located centrally of the vehicle.. In multiple wheel vehicles of the type disclosed herein, however, it is desirable to effect transverse differentiation between the transversely aligned wheels is on each of the equalizer beams Ii, and for this purpose outboard diiferential mechanisms are disposed with in the pivotally mounted housings 3t hereinabove referred to.

These outboard difierential mechanisms are of similar construction, and as shown in Figure 5, each is supported on the main frame Id of the vehicle by a bracket 58 secured to the main frame by means such as rivets bi (Figure 2) and. provided adjacent its inner end with a tubular portion 52 secured, by means such as bolts 53, to

, the housing 5d of a conventional type of diiferential gearing, driven by means of shaft 55 imures 1 and 2), by the engine of the vehicle. Se-

. cured to the bracket 58 by means such as bolts member 55 and oil seal 6?. Roller bearings 53 and 59 disposed between the'shait t2 and the interior of the housing 36, render the housing freely rockable upon the shaft 52, which, together with the trunnion'member 59 constitutes the pivotal support for the housing.

The diiierential housing 35 is formed in two means such as bolts 12 and encloses a driving pinion I5 secured as by .splines It to shaft 62.

Disposed in the lower portion of the differential housing 36 and meshing with the pinion i5 is a ring gear 89 secured bymeans such as bolts 8! to spiders B2 and 83, rotatably mounted upon roller bearings 8d and 85 retained within the housing 36 by sprocket'hubs 86 and 81 secured to the housing by means such as bolts 88 and 89, said hubs also serving to retain oil seals BI and 52 so as to render the housing 36 oil tight. v

Rotatably mounted upon the sprocket hubs 86 and 87, respectively, are sprocket hub drums 95 and 98 connected to shafts 35 and 35a, respectivesimilar halves it and 'iI secured together by ly, by flanges 9i and, 98 which are secured to the sprocket hub drums by means such as bolts 99, and keyed to the respective shafts as indicated at IN. Drive sprockets 33 are secured to the drums and 98, respectively, by means such as bolts on, and roller bearings I63 and Hit are disposed between the drums 95 and, 96 and the hubs 86 and 81, respectively, being secured in operating position by screw collars IE5 and IN secured on the threaded ends of hubs 86 and 81, respectively.

The adjacent ends of shafts 35 and 35a, re-- planetary differential gearing for effecting trans verse differentiation between the two driving sprockets 33 which, as hereinabove described, are connected to drive transversely aligned wheels disposed on one side of the vehicle.

The entire diiierential assembly together with the differential housing 36 is, moreover, capable of rocking movement about'the axis 31 during which movement the ring gear 89 rolls in mesh with the driving pinion I5 in compensating for rocking movement of the equalizer beam H on which the driving wheels id of the vehicle are suspended.

In this way the transversely aligned pairs of road wheels It, upon which the weight of the vehicle is always equally distributed due to the provision of the parallel linkage and equalizer beam suspension described in detail in the foregoing specification, may be used as driving wheels, the driving power being properly differentiated during turning movements of the vehicle by the main and outboard differential mechanisms described.

Provision is preferably made for adjustment of the several chain drive connections in order to compensate for wear. For this purpose, as shown in Figures 8 .and 9, each of the suspension links ii is slotted as at I28, said slot communicating with the aperture I2! which receives the pivot pin 22, and clamping bolts I22, extending through holes in the link and fitted with nuts I23, are

provided for clamping the pivot pins 22 in adpivoted on pins' 22 abutting nuts I26, but the spacing of said lugs is greater than the width of the portionof link 2i lying between them. It will be apparent, therefore, that longitudinal adjustment of pins 22 will efl'ect corresponding longitudinal adjustment of the hub member 25 and road wheels so that the driving chains may be tautened or loosened by this arrangement.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of others with advantage, and that many modifications may be made in the details of construction disclosed herein without departing from the actual invention disclosed. It may be pointed out, for instance, without attempting to exhaustively enumerate alternatives, that the mounting of power transmission devices upon the frame with freedom for movement fore and aft of the vehicle, may be used to transmit power to vehicles having but two wheels on each side where said wheels are mounted at opposite sidered as limited to the specific embodiment dis-' closed, except as is required by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a motor vehicle, a frame, a plurality of longitudinally extending equalizing devices pivotally mounted on said frame, a plurality of transverse pairs of road wheels, parallel linkage suspensions connecting said transverse pairs of wheels with said devices, a plurality of differential mechanisms suspended on said frame for, movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means for driving said differential mechanisms, driving connections between each of said differential mechanisms and one of said transverse pairs of wheels mounted on one of said devices, and means operated by each of said equalizing devices, upon pivotal movement thereof on said frame, for moving one of said differential mechanisms longitudinally with respect to said movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means for driving said differential mechanisms, driving' connections between one side of each of said differential mechanisms and longitudinally corresponding wheels of said pairs, driving connections between the other side of each of said differential mechanisms androther longitudinally corresponding wheels of said pairs, and means operated by each of said equalizing devices, 'upon-pivotal movement thereof on said frame, for moving one of said differential mechanisms longitudinally with respect to said frame whereby a substantially uniform separation is maintained between each of said differential mechanisms and the wheels connected thereto.

3. In a motor vehicle, a frame, a plurality of longitudinally extending equalizing devices pivotally mounted on said frame, a plurality of transverse pairs of road wheels, parallel linkage suspensions connecting said transverse pairs of wheels with said devices, a plurality of power transmissions each including differential mechanism and driving members suspended on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means for driving said power transmissions, driving connections between each of said driving members and one of said wheels, and means operated by each of said equalizing devices, upon pivotal movement thereof on said frame, for moving the driving members associated with one of said power transmissions longitudinally with respect to the frame, whereby a substantially uniform separation is maintained between each of said driving members and the wheel connected thereto;

4. In a motor vehicle, a frame, a plurality of longitudinally extending equalizing devices pivotally mounted on said frame, a plurality of transverse pairs of road wheels, parallel linkage suspensions connecting said transverse pairs of wheels with said devices, a plurality of differential mechanisms suspended on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means for driving said differential mechanisms, a plurality of power transmissions each including differential mechanism and driving members suspended on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means including a main differential mechanism connected to the aforesaid differential mechanisms for driving said power transmissions, driving connections between each of said differential mechanisms and one of said transverse pairs of wheels mounted on one of said devices, and means operated by each of said equalizing devices, upon pivotal movement thereof on said frame, for moving one of said differential mechanisms longitudinally with respect to said frame whereby a substantially uniform separation is maintained between each of said differential mechanisms and the wheels connected thereto.

5. In a motor vehicle, a frame, a plurality of longitudinally extending equalizing devices pivotally mounted on said frame, a plurality of transverse pairs of road wheels, parallel linkage suspensions connecting said transverse pairs of wheels with said devices, a plurality of differential mechanisms suspended on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means for driving said differential mechanisms, a plurality of power transmissions each including differential mechanism and driving members suspended on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means including a main differential mechanism connected to the aforesaid differential mechanisms for driving said power transmissions, driving connections between one side of each of said differential mechanisms and longitudinally corresponding wheels of said pairs, driving connections between the other side of each of said differential mechanisms and other longitudinally corresponding wheels of said pairs, and means operated by each of, said equalizing devices, upon pivotal movement thereof on said frame, for moving one of said differential mechanisms longitudinally with'respect to said frame whereby a substantially uniform separation is maintained between each of said diflerential mechanisms and the wheels connected thereto.

6. In a motor vehicle, a frame, a plurality of longitudinally extending equalizing devices pivotally mounted on said frame, a plurality of transverse pairs of road wheels, parallel linkage suspensions connecting said transverse pairs of Wheels with said devices. a plurality of power transmissions each including differential mechanism and driving members suspended on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means for driving said power transmissions, a plurality of power transmissions each including diiferential mechanism and driving members suspended on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said devices, means including a main differential mechanism connected to the aforesaid difl'erential mechanisms for driving said power transmissions, driving connections between each of said driving members and one of said wheels, and

means operated by each of said equalizing devices, upon pivotal movement .thereof on said frame,

for moving the driving members associated with one of said power transmissions longitudinally with respect to the frame, whereby a substantially uniform separation is maintained between each of said driving members and the wheel connected thereto.

' '7. In a motor vehicle, a frame, a plurality of iixed pivotal mountings on said frame, longitudinally extending equalizing devices rockably supported on said pivotal mountings, road wheels mounted on said equalizing devices adjacent a free end thereof, power transmissions including driving members suspended on said framefor movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said equalizing-devices and means fixed in said frame for driving said members; a'direct driving connection between each of said driving memb rs and one of said wheels, and meansoperated y each of said equalizing devices, upon pivotal movement on its respective pivotal mounting. for moving a driving member associated with one of said transmissions longitudinally with re pect to the frame, whereby a substantially uniform separation is maintained between each of said driving members and the wheel directly connected thereto.

8. In a. motor vehicle, a frame, a plurality of fixed pivotal mountings on said frame, longitudidevices, upon pivotal movement on its respective pivotal mounting, for moving a driving member associated with one of said transmissions longitudinally 'with respect to the frame, whereby a substantially uniform separation is maintained between each of said driving members and the wheel directly connected thereto.

9. In amotor vehicle, a frame, a plurality of longitudinally extending equalizing devices pivotally mounted on said frame, a plurality of transverse pairs of road wheels, parallel linkage suspensions connecting said transverse pairs of wheels with said devices, power transmissions including driving members suspended on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof with respect to said equalizing devices, means for driving said members. driving connections between each of said driving members and one of said wheels, and means operated by each of said equalizing devices, upon pivotal movement thereof on said frame. for moving the driving members associated with one of said power transmissions longitudinally with respect to the frame whereby a substantially uniform separation is maintained between each of i said'driving members and the wheels connected thereto.

- THEODORE A PETERMAN. 

